“Elite sports can sometimes feel like an obsession. Because I was so used to winning, I really had to learn how to deal with my loss in Paris. But that was exactly the valuable lesson.”

You can find this and more in the column ‘The Flying Dutchman’ in Holland Herald magazine. Have you flown with KLM recently? Then you might have already spotted the interview!

A great opportunity to share my story and to give adaptive sports a bigger stage. Super proud of the result!

Photo: Anne Timmer

After the Paralympic Games in Paris, I decided to undergo hip surgery. It was a tough decision because, for a top athlete, stepping away from competition—even temporarily—is never easy. But living with daily pain was no longer an option. To the outside world, it may have seemed like I disappeared off the radar for a while, but behind the scenes, I’ve been anything but idle. Time for an update!

I have…

✅ completed my rehabilitation program, including physiotherapy.
✅ taken an unforgettable trip to the beautiful Costa Rica.
✅ contributed as a city ambassador for thirty030 to make Utrecht a better, safer, and more accessible place.
✅ visited sponsors—great to have the time to catch up with everyone!
✅ spent my first hours back on the tennis court.
✅ started researching the right adjustments for my wheelchair now that my hip has a different alignment.

In other words: I’m steadily making my way back to the tennis court. I’ve missed the game, but this period has also brought me a lot.

On to the next phase—see you in the next update!